Sheet-feeding mechanism for printing presses



HQ M. BARBER SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Dec. 1'7, 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,023

HT 17in INVENTOR W 79 W W ATTORNEYS Nov. 20, 1928.

.H. M. BARBER SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PBESSES Filed Dec. 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EYS Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

' UNIT ED STATES P ATENT OFFICE. I

HOWARD IVI. BARBER, or rawca'rucx, coxnnorrcu'r, ASSIGNOR TO 0. B. COVTTRELL & sons COMPANY, on WESTERLY, mronn ISLAND, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM FORPRINITING PRESSES.

Application filed December 17,1927. Serial No. ziojzsa.

In machines for cutting sheets of varying lengths from a travelingweb where the web feeding and cutting merit ani sin s arc'adjustable along thesheet feeding mechanism toward and awayfrom the sheet taking device which is traveling at a fixed speed, it has been usual either to drive. the sheet feeding mechanism at a fixed speed sufficient to take care of the longest sheet cut from the web; or, as shown in my copending application filed December 13th, 1923, Serial NO. 680,437, to provide a common means for varying the speed of the web feeding and cutting mechanisms and the sheet feeding mechanism, Either of these arrangements is satisfactory where the material is firm and heavy and where one cut is made for each revolution of the impression cylinder. However, when lightweight or loosely woven material, such as burlap, is handled, or when the web feeding and cutting mechanisms are speeded up for cutting two sheets from the web for each revolution of the impression cylinder, it is necessary to provide a very wide range of speeds for the sheet feeding mechanism to assure the proper; e sheets thereby to the sheet takfeeding of th ing device. To provide for this wide range of speeds and to ensure the utmost accuracy inthe speedof the sheet feeding mechanism, I have introduced a manually controlledvariable speed mechanism between the main drive for the web feeding and cutting mechanisms and the sheet feeding mechanism,said variable speed mechanismbeing capable of being adjusted sothat t iesheet feeding mechanism may be driven at a speed, slightly in excess of the speed of the web.

A practicalembodiment of my invent-ion is represented inthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a detail plan view of a rotary printing press with my improvement applied to the sheet feeding mechanism.

Fig. 2 represents a detail side elevation.

Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal vertical section.

- ually controlled variable speed mechanism which is located between the main drive and the sheet feeding mechanism.

The mainframe of themachine is denoted by 1 and the auxiliary frame or carriage on which the mechanisms for feeding the web and for cutting sheets of varying lengths therefrom is denoted by 2. This auxiliary 9 and its pair of coactinig rolls 10, 11; The

mechanism for cutting the sheets from the web is shown as comprisingthe coacting rotary and stationary cutters 12 and 13. A guide 14 serves to direct the web from the web feed roll 9 to the, cutting mechanism. The shaft 15 of the rotary cutter is driven from the main drive shaft 5 through the gears 16, 17, shaft 18. bevel. gears 19,20, vertical shaft 21,'bevel gears 22, 23 horizontal longitudinal shaft 24 and bevel gears 25, 26. The shaft27 of the web feed roll 9is driven the shaft.

24 through the gears 28,29, worm gears 30, 31, cross shaft 32Iand gears 33,34. i

The meihanism forfeeding the sheets. from;

the cutting mechanism to the sheet taking de I vice, inthe present instance ,thegrippers 3. of theimpression cylinder 4, is shown as a horizontally'arranged endless tape carrier 35 passing around suitable pulleys carried the cross shafts 36, 37, arranged respectively ad-.

jacent to and a distance away from the sheet.

taking device. This sheet feeding endless tape carrier 35 is driven from the main drive shaft 5 through amanually controlled variable speed mechanismas follows An endless drive, chain 38"connects" a sprocket 39 on the shaft 18 with a sprocket 40 of a variable speed mechanism 41 of well known or approved form; the variable speed mechanism shown hereinbeing of the well known Reeves type in which'there are two pairs of coacting cones supporting a V- shaped belt, the two cones of the two pairs being capable of simultaneous movement in opposite directions in order to vary the radii of contact between the belt and cone pairs.

An endless drive chain 42 connects the sprocket 43 of the variable speed mechanism with a sprocket 44 of a cross shaft 45, which shaft has a driving connection with the cross shaft 36 through the gears 46, 47.

' To permit the carriage 2 for the web feeding and cutting mechanisms to be adjusted toward'and away from the sheet taking device along the endless tape carrier, the sleeve 48 which carries the gears 25 and 28 is slidably mountedon the shaft 24. The variable speed meehanism 41 is provided with a suitable operating handle 49 for manually con- 7 trolling the mechanism.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided means whereby the speed of the sheet feeding endless tape carrier may bevery accurately'adjusted by hand to assure the proper feeding of the sheets there: by to the sheet taking device, it being understood that thespeed of this endless tape carriershould be slightly in excess of the surface speed of the web feed roll 9 or, in other words, the speed of travel of the web.

fItiS evident that various changes maybe resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spiritand scope of my in,-'

vention; and hence, I do not intend to be limitedto the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but I That I claim is r 1. Mechanisms for feeding a Web and cutting. sheets therefrom, a sheet feeding mechanism, a'sheet taking device, a carriage for the web feeding and cutting mechanisms ad; justable toward and away from the sheet taking device along the sheetfeeding mechanism," and a nanually controlled variable speed s han i f r h ms he sh et f ding mechanism.

2. Mechanisms for feeding a web' and cut-.

ting sheets therefrom, a sheettaking'deviee, an endless tape carrier for feeding the sheets to the'sheet taking'device, carriage for the Web feeding and cutting mechanisms adj ustable toward and away from the sheet taking device aleng the endless tape carrier, and a manually controlled variable speed mechanismf'oi driving the sheet feeding endless ape car rt M an m ferf s ins a W b and cut: ting sheets therefrom, a main drive therefor, a sheet feeding'n echanism, a sheet taking device, a ca r a e f r the eb fe din an tcutting mechanisms adjustabletowar'd and,

away from the sheet taking device along the endless tape carrier, and a manually controlled variablespeed mechanism located between the said main drive and the sheet feeding endless tape carrier. i

5. Mechanisms for feeding a'web and cutting sheets therefrom including a web feed roll and a drive therefor, a sheet feeding mechanism, a sheet taking device, a carriage for the web feeding and cutting mechanisms adjustable toward and away from the sheet taking device along the sheet feeding mechanism, and a manually controlled variable speed mechanism located between the web feed roll drive and the sheet feeding mecha nism whereby the sheet feeding mechanism may be driven at a speed slightlyin excess of the surface speed of the said web feed roll.

6. Mechanisms for feeding a web and cut: ting sheets therefrom including a webfeed roll and a drive therefor, a sheet taking device, an endless tape carrier for feeding the sheets to the sheet taking device, carriage for the web feeding and cutting mechanisms adjustable toward and awayfrom l v and .a manually controlled variablefspeed mechanism located between the web feed roll} driven at a speed slightly in ezgcessofthe s n face speed of the web feed roll,

s5 a t s eet: kms de is al e the end e apev ea n In t st m ny, ha I la m h fc s n as y inv nti n, lf e sne l yname t.

fourteenth day of December, D, 1927, l

HOWARD M.- 

